BBC Link Policy: We Want To Send A Lot Of Traffic To Other Sites

from the how-refreshing dept

We're so used to websites whose "link policies" are about what they want you to do to link to them, combined with the tendency for traditional media players to hate the external link, as if it were some sign of failure, that when someone anonymously submitted a link to the BBC News' "link policies," you'll have to forgive me for expecting the worst. Instead, the link policies were a bit of a revelation. They're all about how to link more to other sources. It all starts with a goal of sending more traffic elsewhere:

The BBC Strategy Review [1.40MB PDF] recently unveiled by director general Mark Thompson set as one of its goals a major increase in outbound links from the BBC website - a doubling of the number of "click-throughs" to external sites from 10 million to 20 million a month by 2013.

It then goes into a list of specific policies, which pretty much all focus on adding lots of external links to stories. Of course, given how UK newspapers are suddenly working hard to block links from others, you have to wonder if those same papers are going to start blocking the BBC as well...

I'm a regular BBC user...

The problem is that the BBC are looking for excuses to shut down websites, particularly their messageboards. When, say, three or four years ago, a news story might point to a BBC messageboard for further discussion, now it'll point to Facebook or Twitter. Their long term goal is to shut down their messageboards and replace them with "Blogs" where only BBC employees can start a thread, so only things they officially sanction can be discussed.

Re: Re: Onanistic links

Not a complaint, it's just amusing.

You're certainly not as bad as those that have just discovered linking, and then pepper every article with links to their own tag pages. There's a point where it ceases to be context and merely becomes click baiting. Where that point would be is, of course, subjective.

Re: Re:

BBC.UK

Real nice of them..
But have you USA person tried to watch any BBC shows?
They have most at BBC.UK, but we cant run them, LEGALLY.
The BBC.US site sucks.
Its the total reverse of SYFY(sifi) network..where you can watch most shows online in the USA, but the UK site sucks.

Is there any reason to do region restrictions?? SO WHAT I go to a site in another country, to see what they watch..But it wont let you watch/play anything because YOU ARNT from that country.

They key fact which you don't seem to have noticed is that the BBC has a charter obligation not to compete too much with the private sector, due to its unusual funding model.

The BBC website has ALWAYS has an obligation to act as a portal/directory to the best of the web, and has been falling down on its obligation by providing too much of its own good and original content.

Re: Re: Re: Onanistic links

I know exactly what you mean. Massively.com is an example of a site that does this a lot. It's extremely annoying and over time it seems to encourage the editors to sink to the lowest common denominator of just linking to their own tag clouds and not paying attention to whether their links are relevant and add value.

Re: I'm a regular BBC user...

There is probably some truth to this and it is certainly the case that mainstream media wants to turn the Internet into the same nonsense they have turned everything outside the Internet, thanks to broken laws, where only sanctioned discussions are permitted.

dispite

the fact i work in commercial radio i dont like the idea of the BBC shutting services internet or stations. to me commercial radio has become bland and corporate in the UK. and reading other sites worse in the USA.

BBC is a publicly financed news organization. Though the Brits need to pay for the BBC for each TV they buy, it does get em top quality news. Of course, in the United States ,the BBC would be called liberal communists (which doesnt make sense as communists are mostly ultranationalists). Thats why PBS is reviled by the Republicrats , because its a publicly funded network.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

Oh my...

Yes, Canadian and yes, that one whooshed by me. I am fairly familiar with American historical dirt (and also with being historically dirty, what with being of mostly British descent) but that particular appalling detail had escaped my notice.

They key fact which you don't seem to have noticed is that the BBC has a charter obligation not to compete too much with the private sector, due to its unusual funding model.

The BBC website has ALWAYS has an obligation to act as a portal/directory to the best of the web, and has been falling down on its obligation by providing too much of its own good and original content.